In early April, an intrepid group of early-stage entrepreneurs representing 23 Colleges and Universities across the U.S. were accepted into the virtual WBENC Collegiate Accelerator (CA), a multifaceted, cohort-based program designed to empower, inform, and inspire emerging founders as they establish and grow their startup ventures and small businesses.
Over the past several weeks, the 2026 CA virtual cohort has been engaged in a 4-week intensive educational series focused on the fundamentals of growth featuring tailored curriculum and facilitated by subject matter experts across the WBENC network.
Throughout the series, founders have learned how to create and implement a sustainable growth strategy focused on increasing sales; engaged in a pitch training to understand the science behind storytelling and meaningful messaging; gained insights into business law and the foundational legal concepts needed to protect their early-stage ventures as they prepare for growth; recognized the importance of defining their company’s value proposition, brand presence, and marketing strategy; and have strengthened their entrepreneurial financial acumen through a deeper understanding of financial statements, systems, and forecasting.
On April 29, the virtual cohort will take center stage to showcase their ventures and small businesses in the virtual Collegiate Accelerator Pitch Competition Semi-Final Round, where founders will compete for the opportunity to attend the WBENC National Conference in Salt Lake City, Utah. At the conference, finalists will gain national brand exposure through the Collegiate Accelerator Interactive Showcase on the expo floor and participate in the Final Round of the Collegiate Accelerator Pitch Competition, where they will deliver a live pitch for a chance to win micro-seed funding.
The future of innovation starts here; read on to learn more about the 2026 Collegiate Accelerator cohort and the founders who are turning ambition into action.
Soulani is a Black-owned inclusive intimate apparel brand dedicated to redefining confidence, comfort, and representation within the lingerie industry. Founded in late 2025, the company was created to address longstanding fit gaps for fuller-bust consumers across diverse body shapes and sizes, while remaining committed to serving women of all proportions. Soulani combines engineered support with elevated design, delivering products that prioritize both functionality and style. Through intentional brand positioning, community engagement, and a commitment to authentic inclusivity, Soulani is building a scalable, mission-driven company focused on empowering women through confidence centered fit solutions.
Shining Bright Consulting helps people regain and maintain their mental wellness through life coaching for women, group classes, and community engagement. SBC’s mission is to help as many people as possible navigate adversity while prioritizing mental wellness. The main areas of focus are: self-love, accountability, emotional awareness, and overcoming adversity. Community, transparency, faith, compassion, and love are Shining Bright Consulting’s core values. Their community initiative “Brighter Days” will take the vision of building better communities into different communities around the country.
In an industry riddled with chemicals, CurlyCrownz provides natural hair care products made with opulent natural herbs, butters, and oils to nourish your curly hair, beard, locs, scalp, and weaves. Yet, CurlyCrownz is “bigger than hair”. We are a social justice-oriented brand that aims to innovate media representation of minorities through media and marketing, as well as donating time and money to organizations that help people of color thrive.
Las Amigas Tequila LLC, DBA Fuerza Divina Tequila, is a women-owned, Latina-founded premium tequila brand rooted in the traditions of Jalisco, Mexico — the birthplace of tequila. Crafted from 100% Blue Weber Agave and produced in partnership with certified distillers in Tequila, Mexico, our brand honors heritage while redefining leadership in the spirits industry. Founded by two entrepreneurs committed to empowerment and cultural pride, Fuerza Divina represents resilience, authenticity, and community. As we prepare for national launch, our mission is to build a globally recognized tequila brand that uplifts women and minorities while delivering exceptional quality in every bottle.
AriCares Childcare
Center LLC is a newly established, workforce-integrated childcare venture based in Pennsylvania. Founded in January 2026, the company was built on a structured 24-hour model designed to support healthcare, manufacturing, and shift-based employers whose employees face limited childcare options outside traditional hours. Within its first weeks of formation, AriCares developed comprehensive financial projections, staffing frameworks, curriculum planning systems, and secured initial corporate sponsorship support. As a 100% woman-owned and founder-led company, AriCares is positioned to deliver scalable, employer-aligned childcare solutions that strengthen workforce stability and community access to quality care.
Carlynn The Artist is a purpose-driven creative brand founded by Carlynn Andrews, a self-taught visual artist from Atlanta, GA. Our mission is to “Create Art with Purpose to encourage, inspire, and further uplift the brilliant minds of the youth in our community.” We specialize in producing meaningful artwork and products that promote self-love, mental wellness, and positive representation, especially for minorities. Through our online platform, we aim to make “Art with Purpose” accessible to all, with products designed to uplift, encourage, and inspire.
Mary Alicia Labs is a company focused on making fun easier for people with mobility impairments and their caregivers. We use mobility robots as a solution to complete the last mile trip – getting from the home to the car, or from the car to the final destination. The focus is on getting people active out of the house, and enjoying movement and time together.
Overcoming Overwhelming LLC is a specialized support center that empowers parents navigating profound crises—including postpartum depression, stillborn or child loss, and the isolation of parenthood—through luxury, hands-on delegation. By providing parents with our Tier Two services (expert nannies, chefs, and cleaners), we physically offload the “heavy lifting” of daily life to allow parents the space to heal and reclaim their peace. Our primary impact is driven through our Tier Two subscription: a comprehensive hybrid of peer support, therapy, and domestic staffing designed to move families from survival mode into a sustainable “soft life.”
The Marketing Mage is a brand strategy and fractional marketing firm that helps small and mid-sized organizations turn clarity into measurable growth. We partner with founders and leadership teams to develop strategic positioning, revenue-aligned marketing systems, and compelling storytelling that drives customer engagement and business performance. Our approach blends creative brand development with data-informed decision-making, ensuring marketing efforts translate into sustainable results. From brand intensives to ongoing strategic support, The Marketing Mage equips mission-driven companies with the structure, visibility, and momentum needed to scale with confidence.
Jason Miller is the founder and CEO of RiseCrest Partners Ltd. founded in Jacksonville, Florida. Jason is currently a senior business administration student with a focus in finance at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University. What matters most to him as a business leader and pioneer is trust, integrity, reliability, and transparency. He understands that rational decision-making coupled with highly disciplined investment decisions are monumental foundations that foster trust, capital protection, and reliability. With a long-term focus on wealth creation, Jason aspires to help families build wealth by acquiring understandable businesses at undervalued prices and holding them long-term.
If The Shoe Fits (ITSF) is rebuilding women’s high heels from the ground up, starting with your actual foot. In 60 seconds, a smartphone scan captures your unique shape, and we use that data to create a heel designed specifically for you, not a generic size chart. Instead of squeezing into shoes that were never made for your width, arch, or toe shape, you get a silhouette you love engineered to fit your body. We’re replacing standard sizing with personalized design, so comfort and confidence can finally exist in the same pair of heels.
The Henry BnB is an experiential agritourism company based in East Tennessee that offers short-term farm-stay lodging paired with hands-on agricultural and homesteading experiences. Founded on principles of sustainability, circular agriculture, and Appalachian heritage preservation, the business provides guests with an authentic, educational alternative to traditional accommodations. The Henry BnB integrates regenerative farming practices, themed stays, and interactive learning opportunities to create meaningful connections between visitors and the land. The company is designed to grow sustainably through diversified revenue streams, including lodging, agritourism activities, and future RV and educational offerings.
Trevava is a unapologetic hair tool company that focuses on bringing innovation into the world of hair styling and hair care. Doing hair should be something that fits seamlessly into everyday life, not looked at as a burden. Trevava exists to change the way hair is experienced.
Kimmie Stylz is a Birmingham, Alabama–based consumer hair care brand founded to meet the unique needs of textured and natural hair. The company offers high-quality, vegan-based products formulated with carefully selected ingredients that promote healthy hair growth, moisture, and scalp care while avoiding harsh chemicals. Built with a strong commitment to community, safety, and education, Kimmie Stylz serves families seeking effective, gentle solutions for everyday hair care. The brand has gained recognition through accelerator programs, retail partnerships, and community-focused initiatives supporting healthier hair practices.
Baron Rides is a student-powered carpooling platform designed to make commuting to and from campus more affordable, reliable, and community-oriented. Specifically created for college students, Baron Rides connects student drivers with fellow commuters in need of safe and convenient transportation, offering lower costs than traditional ride-sharing services. Baron Rides does not own any vehicles. Instead, it operates a platform that empowers students who already own cars to provide rides, creating flexible earning opportunities and strengthening connections within the campus community. By leveraging existing student resources, Baron Rides offers a cost-effective and scalable solution tailored for commuter campuses. Founded with $2,000 in startup capital from Rowan University, Baron Rides focuses on sustainable growth, strategic campus partnerships, and expanding access to transportation for students juggling academics, work, and family responsibilities. The company’s mission is straightforward: to reduce transportation barriers so that students can concentrate on succeeding in their studies.
CountedCare is a financial wellness app purpose-built for America’s 62 million unpaid family caregivers. The platform helps caregivers track medical and caregiving expenses, maximize tax deductions under IRS Publication 502, and access local support resources — transforming financial overwhelm into financial clarity. Founded by UCLA Anderson MBA graduate and caregiver Loryn Carter, CountedCare sits at the intersection of caregiving and personal finance, a gap no existing tool has solved. Currently, CountedCare is building toward a national platform that makes caregiving more financially sustainable for the families who give the most.
Thrive with Obby is a personal and professional growth consultancy focused on closing the access gap for students and emerging professionals through structured mentorship and accessible tools and guidance, towards pathways to personal development, higher education and career opportunities. We seek to help individuals understand their strengths, define their direction, and pursue aligned opportunities. Our mission is to unlock potential, connect opportunity, and build sustainable success.
Ondreaus is an independently founded concert merch brand centered on giving up-and-coming musicians innovative design and a fan-focused outlet for producing merchandise. Musicians deserve to have control over their personal brand. We want to reflect entrepreneurial drive and the ability to turn cultural moments into scalable brand opportunities for up-and-coming musicians.
Kernex is a unified, web-based coding platform modernizing how programming is taught and assessed in higher education. It combines fast and modern browser-based development, real-time collaboration, AI-assisted grading, and one of the first multi-layer AI-driven code detection systems tailored specifically for academic coursework. By integrating directly with LMS platforms like Canvas and D2L while also offering an open sandbox for experimentation, Kernex bridges structured institutional learning with modern developer workflows. Founded by Michigan State University student engineers, Kernex is currently piloting with Michigan universities as it prepares for broader institutional adoption.
ASAICHI is a sustainability-driven company developing plant based, compostable floral bases designed to replace traditional petroleum based floral foam, which releases formaldehyde and contributes significant microplastic waste. Rooted in firsthand industry experience and rigorous research, the company prioritizes human health, environmental safety, and performance without compromise. ASAICHI works to eliminate harmful materials from everyday practices while offering florists a safer, effective, and scalable alternative. Through responsible design and manufacturing, ASAICHI is redefining industry standards for sustainable floral design
Our Yard makes a thrifty lifestyle possible for every college student. The app brings together students and local businesses through a student exclusive marketplace and local business discount discovery. Students can buy and sell affordable items, earn extra cash, and find nearby deals. By strengthening campus communities, supporting local businesses, and promoting sustainable reuse, Our Yard makes college living more affordable, intentional, and connected.
PADÍ is a health technology venture developing noninvasive diagnostic menstrual products that enable early screening for common yet underdiagnosed conditions, including hormonal imbalances, infections, and anemia. By integrating biomarker detection into routine menstrual hygiene products, PADÍ transforms menstruation into an accessible and scalable health monitoring opportunity. An optional AI-powered platform translates sensor data into clear health insights and clinician-ready summaries, supporting earlier intervention and informed care decisions. Operating at the intersection of women’s health, preventative care, and sustainability, PADÍ is committed to expanding equitable access for underserved and underdiagnosed populations.
Minny Apparel is an early-stage fashion innovation company reimagining winter outerwear for socially active college women. The company is developing a transformative purse-to-coat garment that eliminates the need for coat check while maintaining style and functionality. Inspired by real consumer frustrations in cold-weather social settings, Minny blends practical design with modern fashion to solve a common lifestyle inconvenience. Currently in prototype development and customer validation, Minny Apparel is building toward a scalable consumer launch in 2026.
iBraid is a beauty-tech startup building an augmented reality–powered digital braid assistant that helps users part and braid their own hair with greater precision and visibility. While millions of consumers wear braids and protective styles, completing a full DIY style can take multiple days due to the difficulty of clean parting and limited rear-head visibility. iBraid addresses this gap through AR-guided parting overlays and smart mirror casting, transforming a traditionally manual, time-intensive process into a guided, tech-enabled experience. With millions of social media impressions and strong early user validation, iBraid is developing a scalable consumer technology solution for the modern beauty workflow.
Enchantica Productions is an independent content studio dedicated to reimagining screen adaptations with a fan-first, author-honoring approach that challenges the oversaturated remake-and-reboot cycle in today’s entertainment landscape. The company champions original literary and untold stories through a co-collaborative adaptation framework built for the modern streaming era, blending audience engagement with artistic integrity. Enchantica’s mission is to elevate quality storytelling while expanding opportunities for emerging talent and innovative creators. Committed to sustainable and scalable creative models, the studio aims to produce premium cinematic and episodic content that resonates with global audiences and retains rights for international distribution.
Evanesce Ink is a startup developing a new category of semi-permanent tattoos using dissolvable microneedle patch technology. The product allows users to apply realistic, vibrant tattoos in minutes that last for months before fading or being removed. By bridging the gap between temporary and permanent tattoos, Evanesce Ink aims to give people greater freedom to experiment with body art without long-term commitment.
Visit the WBENC Collegiate Accelerator program webpage for more information.
Interested in sponsoring or partnering with the WBENC Collegiate Accelerator program? Please reach to the program lead at collegiateaccelerator@wbenc.org or valuedsponsors@wbenc.org.
